Qingming Ceremony for King Qian

The "Qingming Ceremony for King Qian" is a collective folk ritual held annually during the Qingming Festival to commemorate King Qian Liu of the Wuyue Kingdom. It takes place at King Qian's Mausoleum in Lin'an.

According to the Lin'an County Chronicle of the 2nd year of the Xuantong reign (1910), the ceremony involves two kneelings and six kowtows, following similar rites as temple ceremonies. The ceremonial procedures mainly include firing cannons, beating drums, ringing bells, playing music, offering wine, and presenting sacrificial texts and dances. The "King Qian blessings" were recorded in detail in the chronicle. Since 2011, the ceremony has been standardized into nine procedures based on traditional customs: 1. Ringing bells and beating drums; 2. Offering sacrifices; 3. Cleansing hands and burning incense; 4. Paying respects; 5. Reading sacrificial texts; 6. Singing praises to King Qian; 7. Performing music and dances; 8. Reciting the Qian Family Instructions; 9. Offering flower baskets.

Before the ceremony, there are folk art performances, including singing songs composed by Qian Liu such as "Returning Home" and "Flowers Blooming on the Path," as well as performances of Lin'an water dragons and various martial arts.

The "Qingming Ceremony for King Qian" is a government-led event involving officials and the public, attended by leaders of Lin'an and representatives of Qian descendants from both domestic and overseas, representatives of Lin'an Qian descendants, as well as representatives of local communities, departments, and Qian Liu research associations. It is mainly passed down through generations in a collective manner.

The main characteristics of the ceremony are: firstly, it takes place in King Qian's hometown, emphasizing that to seek ancestral roots, Qian descendants must visit Lin'an. Secondly, the ceremony is held in front of King Qian's Mausoleum, a national-level cultural heritage site. Thirdly, it is a government-led event involving officials and the public. The ceremony is solemn, with strict regulations, held in a special area, and holds unique significance.

The main values and influences of the "Qingming Ceremony for King Qian" are: firstly, its value in social governance. King Qian Liu and his successors pursued the policy of "safeguarding the country and the people, doing good for China," which still has reference significance for contemporary Chinese social governance and the reunification of the motherland. Secondly, its value in cultural guidance. The culture of King Qian, centered around the "Qian Family Instructions," is an integral part of excellent traditional culture, in line with the core socialist values. Thirdly, its value in cultural dissemination. The Wuyue Kingdom laid the foundation for Hangzhou to become the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, playing a positive role in "continuing Tang's style and initiating Song's charm." Fourthly, its value in economic development. Through identifying with ancestral roots and gathering the strength of Qian descendants from both domestic and overseas, helped promote the development of Lin'an. It serves as an important carrier for promoting the outstanding culture of King Qian, the golden name card of Lin'an.

In 2023, the Qingming Ceremony for King Qian was included on the representative list of intangible cultural heritage projects in Zhejiang Province.